Tuesday, August 12, 2014

If you have read my review of the Original Beautyblender Pro posted more than a year ago here, you would know how obsessed I am with this amazing sponge, which has made all the difference in my makeup application. Since then I have bought four Beautyblenders in all - two black and two pink sponges. A number of you have asked me what difference there is between the two, so I thought I would address that.
I am not going to
talk about the same old things I said before, including packaging,
results, usage, benefits and purchasing details. This post is just for comparing the Original pink and Pro black Beautyblenders.

For the purpose of this post, let us forget that such a thing as the white Beautyblender exists. I believe the Pure version was intended for skincare. I, for one, would never use a foundation on a white sponge - being as @nal-retentive as I am, I would never rest until I got every bit out of it. Nor am I going to talk about the limited edition Royal Purple one, even though I am lusting after it, or any of the coloured and swirl versions that have arrived since.

Also, we are not talking about any kind of dupes, replicates, reproductions, random sponges and so on here. This is the real deal. The Original Beautyblender, as developed by Rea Ann Silva.
Now that I have used both pink and black versions of the sponge for more than six months each, I can compare them and tell you my findings.

According to Beautyblender themselves, the Pro black version is meant for a more pigmented and professional finish. They also say that the black colour is meant to look more professional than the hot pink. To be honest, it could be virulent orange or transparent, for all I care, as long as it does an amazing job.
Price, size and packaging are the same. Almost. The black 'blender's packaging comes with white writing on the case while the pink one has black writing. Like that is important, you say? Well, this is one way of identifying fakes, you know.

Both are egg-shaped but the pink one is "pointier" while the black is rounder. See the difference here?

Both "grow" on absorbing water, at the same rate, but not to the same size. The black one grows fatter. This is after full saturation. See?

Now for texture. This is where the differences begin to crop up. even if very marginally. The Pro black Beautyblender feels less dense but more porous and even less latexy, softer, by a hair's breadth. As a result, you get the feeling that it absorbs more liquid product than the Pink.

While cleaning after use with liquid foundation, more makeup goes out of the Pro, which is why I suspect that it takes in some product. Mind you, this is just my feeling. I have no concrete proof that it does.
However, this is not the case with powder foundation and the Black does a better job there because it is so soft and goes into compacts nicely, IMO.
Durability is slightly tricky in that the black version feels a bit more fragile than the pink one, which feels sturdier in my hands. This is subjective and unproven. Though I have used both for approximately the same duration, neither has broken on me yet. My oldest black blender has a tear which is barely visible. It ran for almost a year, thoroughly washed in Blender Cleanser after EACH use. BUT I have heard that the pink falls apart sooner.
Both of them pick up liquid and powder foundations equally well. I cannot tell the difference in finishes either; my foundation goes on smoothly with both.
My gripe with the Pink Beautyblender is that even after a couple of months' use, the colour runs. Not as strongly as it does when brand-new, but you can see what I get. No, that is not my foundation, that is with just Blender Cleanser. Somehow, this grosses me. The black colour does not run.

Either way, the difference is kind of insignificant and it all comes down to colour preferences. I do not really have a favourite here. Both are brilliant anyway, and I reach for whichever is nearest.

Summary
Black is softer and more porous, while pink is denser. I love both of these as far as application is concerned, but I would say that Black is da deal where powder foundations are concerned. It is easier to wash out powder than liquid from the black version, as it tends to absorb more liquid product than the pink version. I use compact powder foundations with a damp Beautyblender almost all the time and liquids and creams only once in a while. Pink is the best for liquid and cream foundations as it absorbs less product inside. 'Nuff said.
You can buy the Beautyblender range of products here; they ship worldwide.

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